The typical automatic gain control (AGC) loop for a WTRU operates on continuous data streams. For time-slotted transmissions, AGC loops require a preamble field or pilot symbols prior to the data field of the slot in order to calculate the gain. The typical AGC loop takes several slots to adjust, and therefore slot-to-slot variations will typically necessitate having a wide dynamic range receiver. If the receiver has insufficient dynamic range to adjust or otherwise fails to adjust, the receiver saturates, or starves, with a high likelihood of causing a high block error ratio (BLER).